Predict-a-text fail

I was so excited this morning at work when I checked my phone and I saw that I had a text message from Lash.  I love random "hello/ thinking about you!" texts so feeling a little giddy, I couldn't wait to read it.

And then I saw that it said, "Get beautiful!"

Lash just recently got a blackberry and is kind of struggling adjusting to the 21st century's technology.  OF COURSE, he meant to say "hey beautiful," but I've had the best time laughing about it and giving him absolute hell all day.  What a typo!  :)

Worth the wait

I just finished reading Kristen Hannah's "Firefly Lane."  I admit, it took me a long while to get into it, but I'm glad I stuck with it.  Hannah weaves a beautiful story of a timeless friendship that is deeply moving, upbeat, and encouraging.  Definitely one to put on your summer reading list or Kindle!

Does anyone have any other reading suggestions?  Or any titles of what is on your reading list?  I can't wait to sit on the beach this summer with a book in hand! :)

Girls Weekend

After a long week of work and traveling, I had the perfect therapy scheduled for the weekend--- a girls' weekend in Pawleys Island with my best friends to celebrate our friend's engagement!  We had so much fun. . . I'm just sad it's over!

Here are some pictures of us at the party Saturday night.

"A good friend is a connection to life- a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world" - Lois Wyse

Love to all you girls!  And of course, congrats Tippins!  We can't wait for the big day!

Beat

I have been living out of a suitcase this past week, and I am beat from all the traveling.

I got home Tuesday night at 9:30 from Ft. Lauderdale, went to work Wednesday until noon, traveled to HHI, spent Wednesday afternoon and all day Thursday there, just got back to Charleston tonight at 7:30. . .  to go to work tomorrow and then head to Pawleys for a girls weekend and engagement party.

I'm looking forward to the weekend, and know it will be a blast. . . But for right now, all I can think about is packing that bag #3 of the week and putting my best effort into being asleep by nine (in my own bed-- hooray!)

Have a great weekend!

Land's End Canvas

Two of the blogs I follow recently posted about having great luck online shopping at Lands End Canvas. At first I was kind of surprised because 1) I confused LEC with regular Lands End (like the catalog) and didn't know there was a sister store and 2) if I had known there was a sister store, I'm not sure I would have thought to shop there. . .

but these two bloggees have great tastes and after reading their posts about reasonable prices and cute clothes, I had to check it out.  And I was pleasantly surprised!! They have some fun things, and at great prices-- so what's not to love?!

I ended up getting this dress, and think I will essentially wear it out this summer at work, fun dinners, church, etc. Paired with a cartigan or some fun jewelry, I think it's going to be a very versatile and flexible look.  I can't wait for it to get here! 

So thanks for the recommendation fellow bloggers!  If anyone has any other shopping secrets, pass them along!

Business Class

I really feel like I am putting on my big girl panties tonight as I am enjoying my first business trip adventures!  I'm in Fort Lauderdale, FL until Tuesday for training for my new underwriting position.  How exciting!  PURE is headquartered in White Plains, NY, but also has offices in my home SC and this one in FL. I am very excited about the opportunity to be here, but am also of course nervous because I've never met anyone at our Florida office and am anxious about the training and learning my new role.

Nervous too because I think it is going to be a whirl wind of a week- I land Tuesday night at 9 (missing LOST, I'm trying not to cry. . thank goodness Lash has both tivo and HD), and then leave Wednesday at noon to go to Hilton Head for more training until later Thursday night.  Friday, I'm headed up the coast for a girls night Friday night and Saturday an engagement party for one of my best friends. . . Needless to say today, before I left, I had neatly packed three different bags so I could easily go from place to place without having to pack in the dark of night whenever I return.  Thankfully, I don't think most weeks are going to be this hectic in my new position, but if they are, luckily I love to travel and am at a great point in my life where I can do so without having to worry about kids at home, etc! Hope everyone has a great week.  And I wish you all, a happy official Spring!!

Springing. . . backwards.

I don't know about y'all, but Daylights Saving is killing me.

I cannot get adjusted.

I have not been tired at all at night so I've been staying up later than normal and then having to force myself to go to bed.  Subsequently, getting up in the AM has been miserable.  I've been dead in the morning, pushing snooze until the last possible second, and even then can't. get. moving.  Falling back was so easy. . . but this time change has totally knocked the wind out of me.

I'm pretty convinced work this week is also contributing to my lethargy.  This has also been one of the longest weeks I can remember as I've been transitioning to my new position.  I've had to train the new employee as well as juggle some additional responsibilities. . . in the midst of our first 5 state marketing campaign of 2010.  Hectic is an understatement.  Plus, I also didn't realize how difficult it is to train someone to do your job.  Getting what you know in your brain to a new someone else's brain is not an easy task.  Needless to say, Friday cannot come soon enough.

Does anyone have any fun plans for the weekend?  No? Oh great!! I have an idea what you should do:  Cheer for the Terriers tomorrow in their first ever NCAA appearance against Wisconsin!!!  2:50 pm CBS.  I seriously considered taking a half day to watch the game, but with this past hellacious week at work (and I'll be out of the office all next week traveling on biz), I figured I'd err on the side of maturity.  Unfortunately.  So, I will be refreshing espn.com every 30 seconds from my cubicle instead.  Regardless, I'm hoping Wofford will paint it black tomorrow.  Go T-Dogs!!

I love March Madness

Sorry, no time to blog this week - I gotta get my bracket set!

I love March Madness!

I'm still working out of a few kinks and key games, but the clock is ticking!  I have to be ready to turn my bracket in tomorrow morning at work, and the games start tomorrow- hooray!!!  In the opening round, my heart is dying to pick my alma mater Wofford Terriers over Wisconsin, and I think they could do it but Wisconsin is so heavily favored.  {P.S. my sister and dad are going to the game in Jacksonville-- boo, so jealous! Wish I could go too!} And, then, there are some awesome powerhouse contenders for the finale- Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio St, West VA, Duke. . . ahhhh who knows!!  But, that's whats so amazing about the tournament--- it is anyone's game!

Do you fill out a bracket?  Who do you have winning it all??

Supper Club

Last night, I hosted my very first dinner party, and I think it was a great success!!  Lash and I have been meaning to have to have one of our favorites couples over for dinner for the longest time, and finally, we were able to do so!  My parents are big entertainers, and yesterday, I totally discovered my love to entertain as well.  I had the best time yesterday getting organized, cleaning the house, and spending the afternoon in the kitchen!  I know it's gay, but I swear I had an adrenaline rush getting everything together. . . I can't wait to do it again soon!

I served shrimp and orzo with a white wine reduction sauce, roasted vegetables, and cheddar cheese biscuits, with homemade peach cobbler for dessert.  I think it all turned out delicious, and it was a great meal to serve as a I host because I didn't feel like I had to stay in the kitchen cooking the entire time.

Here's a photo of the table setting.  Obviously, just out of college, I am still collecting china and serving pieces, but I made it work.  Don't you just love the dining room table?  I got (basically a steal!) from this great shop in Georgetown, SC.  I think it is such a timeless piece that I will love forever.  Eventually, I want to recover the chairs, but for now, the coral is great.

This buffet/ chest is my newest piece of furniture, and I am obsessed with it!  My cousin owns a consignment/ furniture store and has been a huge lifesaver in helping me decorate my apartment.  Though the color green is a little funky and edgy, I love that the piece still looks classic and well polished.  I think it brings all the colors of the room together, and is a perfect serving table for dinner.  

It's been so fun to decorate my apartment and discover my design tastes.  I can't wait to decorate a real house one day. . . though I definitely have a LOT to learn.

Happy St Patty's Weekend!

TGIF!!!  (though the weather is digusting here in Charleston right now.  I hope whereever you are that you are enjoying sunshine and an early spring).  And happy St. Patty's day weekend!  I was fortunate enough to go to Ireland two years ago, and let me tell you, it needs to be on your bucket list.  What an amazing country!  Gorgeous countryside, welcoming people, incredible history, not to mention the great booze! I think Sullivan's Island throws a fun party Saturday for St. Pattys day so Lash and I will head out there for the day tomorrow, but that is the only plan for the weekend.  I'm so excited to have a little R&R!

Due to the yucky weather, tonight I'm hoping to make a great dinner, watch a movie, and call it an early night.  I have no desire to venture out in this rain, and I've somehow managed to give Lash that funky cold last week that I had so tonight's plans seem like a good fit! 

I am going to make this recipe for baked chicken breasts with goat cheese and fire- roasted tomatoes.  Doesn't that sound incredible??  My mom saw it on the Today Show and emailed to me. (Click here for the recipe)  I hope it turns out, I'm already drooling over the flavors! haha.  And, I think I'm going to serve it with a classic comfort food- mashed potatoes. Yum!  Happy Friday.  Stay dry and enjoy the luck of the Irish!

Life Is Good!

Today was a GREAT day.

1)  I woke up to have a comment with a cute little blogging award from my friend NOLA girl's blog.  What a honor and so fun!  To return the favor, you should check out her blog and other blogs I'm digging right now including:  grow, byrne babies (incredible story, the daddy was my history teacher in high school), anna in chile (one of my best friends from college is in chile right now), and 455 days apart (a story of true love and heroism that i admire so very much).

2)  After finding my blogger award, I checked the news to discover that Sandy pulled through and won the well-deserved Best Actress Award.  Whoop Whooop! I made it to eleven, but couldn't make it to the end of the show after my cold medicine kicked in so I went to bed in the dark.

3)  After I found Sandy's great news, I looked at weather.com and realized it was going to be 70 degrees today in Chucktown.  Hallejulah y'all spring is close!!!

4)  My Wofford Terriers are playing right now on ESPN2 for the Southern Conference Championships and, if they win, they will play in the NCAA championship. Wofford College in the big dance?? I like the sound of that!!!  And knock on wood, they are doing pretty well so far in the game.

And lastly, for the BIG NEWS!,

{drum roll please}

5)  Effective Monday, March 15th, I'm starting a new role with PURE! I've been the "executive assistant" and now will be transitioning to be an "underwriting technician"! I am SO excited and blessed beyond measure to have this opportunity after only being in the working world for 9 months.   I cannot imagine working for a better company and am so happy with my decision to be with them.

Life is Good! Go Terriers!!

Go Sandra!

This is the first year I can remember that I legitimately care about the Oscars (aside from the People magazines that come from the celebrity's best and worst dressed list).  I'm DYING for Sandra Bullock to win Best Actress for The Blind Side.  What an amazing movie it is!!!  If you haven't seen it, you have got to ASAP.

:(

Uggh I have completely fallen off the exercise and diet train because I'm starting to feel like THIS:

I hate being sick!

John Locke's Pants

I was locking my computer Wednesday to leave for lunch when I overheard one of my co-workers asking another co-worker if she watched LOST.  Naturally, my ears popped up and I knew I could not leave for lunch until I heard this entire conversation.

The other associate responds to the question, "No. I have never seen it." I shook my head thinking you just have no idea what you are missing.

Then, the first co-worker replies, "Good! I watched that show last night for the first time, and it was BAD."

My heart stopped.  Huh? What? Did I hear what I really think I just heard?!??

And then I was like,

RUDE!! Oh no she di'int!

as I attempted defended the greatest TV show ever created to a completely apathetic audience, speaking probably like a 8 year old in a tizzy with my rhetoric.  (That's not fair!  You just can't appreciate it if you have never seen it!  You don't know what you are missing!)

Ok people, exaggerating, but still. . . . In case my obsession love for the show is not evident enough by my posts, tags, dharma wine, etc, I have something to tell my fellow losties about.

I read LOST blogs.  (There, I said it. I am officially a loser.)

And this one is a-mazing.  http://johnlockespants.blogspot.com

Interesting name, I know, because I don't think his pants have any relevance whatsoever within the context of the show (that I know of. . . am I wrong?), but this guy's insight are incredible.  I was following the LOSTpedia blog for a while but they are too inconsistent with their posts and kind of boring.  This guy, however, offers really great and punctual analysis, and he is hysterical.  So, go check it out.  I think you will enjoy it.

Wasabi and Panko- Crusted Pork with Gingered Soy Sauce

Put this on your menu plans immediately!

As you know, I am obsessed with Cooking Light and like many of their recipes, this one is super quick, easy, light (only 215 calories per serving). . . and punched full of flavor!  If you aren't big on pork, you can substitute chicken breasts or tenders and I bet it would delicious as well.  I served it with blanched snow peas for a complete meal that I will definitely make again soon.

New Kids On The Block

We've got some New Kids on the Block that just moved in last week, and though I have not met them yet, I'm a little hesitant about our new neighbor situation.  The new "kids" on the block (NKOTB) term, by the way, is used very loosely, because they are helping to keep the average age of our block about 75.  If you are new-ish to the blog and want to read about my crazy crazy neighbors, click here and here.

Back to the story--- the NKOTBs have a dog so we also have a NPOTB (new pet on the block, hehe).  Anywho, NPOTB has hardly stopped barking since they moved in.  It is driving me crazy.  My bedroom backs up to their house and yard, so at 6:30 this morning, my doggie alarm clock started woofing away.  I wanted to scream!

And, the NKOTBs apparently do not know how and when to turn off their flood lights.  As mentioned, my bedroom window backs up to their house.  Their flood light was on all weekend, but hey, I gave them the benefit of the doubt, thinking maybe they are out of town or they are helping NPOTB getting adjustment to his new yard outside.  But it was still on all night Sunday night and all night Monday night and it 1) makes my room super bright (boo) and 2) shines right in my eyes!!

What's a girl to do?  March over with cookies and introduce myself, "Hi. My name is Mary Loyal. See that bedroom window right there, that's mine. Please, for the honor of any good neighbors clause, please turn your flood light off, and please make your dog be quiet!?!"  Um, I don't see first impressions getting off on the right foot at all. . . .

So, here's to selfishly hoping Fido over there gets adjusted ASAP and their flood light bulbs burn out or something!!